5 Top Tips to Prepare Your Gundog for the Shooting Season

The new season is just around the corner, and for many of us, preparations are already well underway. Hotels are booked, days off are secured, the gun’s been serviced, and perhaps a few clay sessions are pencilled in to shake off the rust. All sound steps to ensure we make the most of our time in the field.

But what about your four-legged shooting partner? If you’re one of those guns who wouldn’t dream of going out without your dog at your side, now is the time to start getting them ready too. A well-prepared gundog makes for a more enjoyable and successful day in the field - for both of you.

Here are five key ways to help your gundog bring their A-game this season:

1. Build Fitness with Purpose
   Just like us, our dogs lose condition if they’ve had a lazy off-season. The odd walk won’t cut it. Aim for purposeful exercise - combining memory retrieves during walks or even jogging or cycling with your dog trotting alongside.
   
   Keep the pace brisk but manageable, helping to build cardiovascular fitness and toughen pads. Done consistently and sensibly, this will reduce the risk of injury when the real work begins.
   
   Swimming is also a great way to build up fitness for an older dog! 
   
   
    
2. Refresh Obedience and Connection
   Even the keenest retriever still needs fine-tuning. Spend some quality time alone with your dog working on the basics - heel work, delivery, and the stop whistle. These are your brakes and steering, and they need checking before you hit the open road. Focus particularly on discouraging ‘swapping’ dummies.
   
   Set up small piles just far enough apart that you can step in if they’re tempted to shop around. As soon as they pick, use your recall cue or an enthusiastic “here, here!” to encourage a swift, single retrieve.
   
   
3. Practise Doing Nothing
   One of the most important skills for a peg dog is the ability to sit quietly and do nothing - for extended periods. This is often overlooked in training.
   
   Start incorporating it now: take your dog to the pub, have them lie quietly while you garden or barbecue, and resist the urge (and tell others!) to fuss them.
   
   Also, avoid sending your dog for thrown or marked retrieves too often - this can build an expectation that everything they see fall is theirs to fetch. Instead, focus on memory or blind retrieves to nurture patience and control.
   
   
    
4. Reintroduce Game Calmly
   
   If you can, source some cold game from a local trainer or game dealer. Introduce it as part of a quiet, controlled memory retrieve. It’s not about perfection on the first go - it’s about building calm, positive associations with the real thing.
   
   Avoid high-pressure drills. If your dog seems overexcited or disinterested, pick up the bird and try again tomorrow. And remember: don’t leave that bird in your game bag overnight - straight back to the fridge!
   
   
    
5. Ease Them Back In
   
   Just because your dog was brilliant last year doesn’t mean they’re match-fit now. Be sensible. Choose your first outing carefully - ideally a small, manageable day that helps ease them back into it. If you’re heading straight into a busy day, it’s wise to have a friend on hand who can step in if your dog gets overwhelmed or vocal.
   
   And if you’ve got a young or inexperienced dog, consider leaving them at home for the first big day. Better a well-managed return than risking a setback from doing too much, too soon.
   
   
   
   Final Thoughts
   
   Your gundog gives you their all out in the field, so it makes sense to give them the best possible start to the season.
   
   A bit of thoughtful preparation now can make the difference between a frantic, frustrating day and a smooth, rewarding one. Start small, build confidence, and you’ll both be firing on all cylinders when the birds start flying
   
   
   
   Adam Snare
   
   Adam Snare is a gun dog trainer located near Framlingham, Suffolk who offers 121's, group training and residential training. 
   
   To find out more about Adam's training business or to talk to him about any of his services, visit his Mearecastle Gundogs website.